A/N: A gift fic for a member of the MPS

It was a warm morning atop the Veiled Falls. Birds sang their songs as they flitted about, searching for any signs of food as rabbits nibbled at the grass nearby. The falls themselves were as dazzling as ever, somehow managing to sparkle even from below. Above, the sun shone brightly, lovely, and oh so gentle. Something for which Mipha was grateful.

Link had wanted to leave early that morning; however, it had been too cool for that. His doctors had been adamant that he was to minimize his exposure to cold air. Oddly enough, Link had been far more agreeable than she had anticipated.

The Zora Princess, very nearly queen, sat on a blanket she had spread out upon arriving at the top of the falls. Beside her, her husband sat in his wheelchair. Link's eyes were closed as he tilted his head up toward the sky, the light morning breeze blowing through what remained of his wispy gray hair. His wrinkled, grey skin shone a bit brighter, as it always did when he was able to get "fresh air" as he called it (that being any air outside of a large settlement). Even though he had been bound to the chair for quite some time, it was still hard for him to accept. Something that tore at her heart. She knew how much his freedom and independence meant to him and to see him lose it little by little…

As hard as it was for her to see him like this, Mipha appreciated every little moment she had with him. The next few decades would be unrelenting and full of loss. There would be time for mourning and lamenting later. She was determined to enjoy every precious second left to her. Treasure it as she dedicated each to memory.

After all, memories would be all she had soon enough.

She smiled, looking to her beloved as he sighed in contentment. Reaching up, she set her hand on his, caressing it with her thumb.

Link tilted his head, his smile growing fond. He awkwardly tried to wrap his thumb up, but only managed to nudge her hand. Even so, warmth fluttered through her heart. To have spent so many decades and still find simple pleasure in being able to keep each other company was something that too few were able to find.

Yet another reason to wait to mourn him.

"I'm surprised you wanted to make the trip up here. I thought yesterday took it out of you."

"It did," Link chuckled. "But, I suppose getting to see a couple old friends again made me remember the old days."

"It was nice to see Zelda and Impa again," Mipha agreed. Of course, she kept her true thoughts to herself. While she had very much enjoyed seeing her two friends again, she couldn't help but wonder how the two still looked so young. Well, relatively anyway. Of course, from what she knew, the Sheikah aged slower than Hylians, which explained Impa. Zelda though…

Perhaps it was the blood of the Goddess.

"You're thinking about how young they looked, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." Mipha shook her head with a rueful smile. He knew her so wonderfully well.

"I was too," he said, his smile never leaving his face. "You think it has anything to do with her blood?"

"I think so." For the first time in a long time, Mipha wasn't sure what to make of her husband. Even though he had seen a couple they had grown up with able to carry on doing what he could not, he looked so at peace. She didn't think he'd be resentful, but she had expected some sort of pain.

But some sort of salve must have been applied. Something to ease the internal struggle he'd been fighting ever since he'd been restricted to a wheelchair.

Link, sensing her unease, frowned. Opening his eyes, he regarded her with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I…" She thought about how she wanted to phrase it, but she quickly dismissed the thought. He knew her well enough to know what she meant. "I suppose I was expecting you to be jealous when you saw them. Well, not jealous exactly, but…"

"Ah. No need to worry." His gentle smile returned as he returned his gaze to the sky above, closing his eyes.

Mipha closed her eyes as well, laying her head against his knee. She remembered the days, in his youth, when they would travel up here hand in hand, and Link would use her lap as a pillow for an afternoon nap under the sun. This wasn't exactly the same, but she could understand why he had been so fond.

Of course, she had been fond of it as well, though probably for different reasons.

As she rested, she allowed herself to think back more. To their childhood, when they had done little more than cause trouble for her father and Muzu. To the days when she had missed her best friend terribly and had to make do with what little time they could find in his sparse visits. To the days when they had been fighting for their lives, side by side. To the days immediately after when, against all odds, he had donned the armor she had lovingly crafted.

She knew that he had not been honored among the Hylians, as many of them had considered his actions a betrayal to his "true princess." And when Mipha had first heard it and brought her concerns to him, his only reply was to say "you are my princess."

And through the years, he had served her faithfully in the public eye, supported her through the stresses of her duties, and had been a stalwart and loving husband.

Though she dreamed of what their life together might look like, it had been so much better than she could have imagined, even during the hard times.

"Mipha?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry," Link sighed quietly.

Opening her eyes, Mipha straightened, looking up at him with concern. His demeanor had not changed; however, now it was causing her to worry. Her mother had looked much the same immediately before her passing. However, she only had time to climb to her feet.

"I promised you the world…" He continued, his smile morphing into something she couldn't read. "And you deserve it and so much more." He sighed as he opened his eyes, looking up at her with a look she hadn't seen in years. He studied her for a moment before looking down at his lap.

Mipha's eyes widened as she saw the Sheikah Slate in his lap. When had that gotten there? But she was too confused and shocked to speak.

Activating it, he tapped a few controls, activating a rune that she didn't recognize.

"I can't give you the world," he said, his smile returning as his gaze drifted back up to her. "But maybe…" He trailed off as threads of blue light appeared, trailing out of the slate and flowing toward Link. They surrounded the Hylian, descending on Link and piercing through him, little pinpricks of light appearing beneath the surface of his skin.

Her heart froze as she saw the veins in his body begin to glow with the same blue light. "Li-"

His hair was regrowing, thickening as its once vibrant golden hue returned. The once grey, sagging, and wrinkled skin pulled tighter across his face as it was filled with new life. His gnarled fingers corrected themselves, steadying as muscle that had been lost was regained. Second by second, Link's youth was being returned to him.

As his transformation was completed, he set the Slate aside.

Mipha stood above him petrified as her husband, now decades younger, continued smiling at her. Dare she even hope…?

She was so busy trying to comprehend everything that was happening, that she was unprepared for Link's next miracle. Wordlessly, he climbed to his feet and, with a grace that belied how out of practice he was, he swept her off her feet.

"...Maybe I can manage a few more centuries," he whispered as he set his forehead against hers.